Rafael Nadal said he deliberately shields his wife and children from media attention to maintain their happiness and wellbeing.
This approach to privacy is rare for athletes of Nadal's global stature. By separating his public persona from his domestic life, he has established a boundary that protects his family from the scrutiny that often follows elite sports stars.
During an appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers in New York City, Nadal said he faces challenges balancing a professional career with family life. He has two sons, Rafael Jr. and Miquel [1], and is married to Xisca "Mery" Perelló. The athlete said this separation was a conscious choice for the benefit of his household.
"I protected my family and my wife Mery from the media. They were happier like this," Nadal said.
Nadal's career is marked by significant achievements, including 22 Grand Slam titles [2] and 14 French Open titles [3]. He also spent 209 weeks ranked as world No. 1 [2]. Despite these accolades, he maintained a grounded personal life in Mallorca, Spain. In a separate interview, he said that he lived at home until he was 31 or 32 [4].
While Nadal has historically avoided the spotlight for his family, he recently allowed cameras into his private world for a Netflix docuseries [5]. This marks a shift in his approach to privacy, though he continues to emphasize the importance of protecting his children's anonymity.
Reports on the status of his professional career vary. Some sources indicate Nadal retired from tennis in 2026 [6], while other reports focus on his ongoing legacy and reflections on a two-decade career without mentioning a formal retirement date [3].
“"I protected my family and my wife Mery from the media. They were happier like this."”
Nadal's insistence on family privacy highlights a growing trend among modern athletes to decouple their professional brand from their private lives. By limiting media access to his children and spouse, Nadal attempts to mitigate the psychological pressures of fame on his dependents, suggesting that a curated public image is essential for maintaining long-term family stability.
